Your wedding day is one of the most important moments of your life, but no matter how big or small it is, it takes a lot of different people to pull it all together. Before you leave the reception and run off on your honeymoon, make sure you give credit where it’s due. Tipping wedding vendors is a great way to show them how much you appreciate all the work they put to make your big day special.
Figuring out who to tip and how much can be complicated though. That’s why our wedding photographers have created the ultimate wedding tipping guide to help you.
Ultimate Wedding Tipping Guide
Hair & Makeup: Tip them as though there were going in for a regular appointment in a salon, so around 15-20%. You should tip them after they’re done before you head off to take pictures or the ceremony.
Catering: Caterers tend to include a tip in their service fee, but if they don’t 15-20% is standard. Be sure to read your catering contract and ask them about tipping if you’re unsure.
Bartenders: Typically, you give them around 10-15% of the evening’s total bar tab. This is true even if the bartender has a tip jar out.
Wedding Planner: You don’t always have to tip a wedding planner, but if they did an amazing job and you’re appreciative of their work go for 10-20%.
Wedding Photographer & Videographer: It’s not standard to tip wedding photographers and videographers if they’re the owner of the studio, which many photographers are. However, if they’re not or if you really liked their work, a good tip would be $100-$200.
Officiant: Tipping depends on whether or not they’re affiliated with a house of worship or if they’re secular. If they’re associated with a house of worship (like a temple or church), a donation of $100-$300 to their institution is appropriate. If they’re a secular officiant, tipping between $50-$100 is the norm.
Band: If there are multiple musicians playing at your wedding, each player should get between $25-$50. You can always tip more if you really enjoyed them.
DJ: Typically, you tip them 15–20% of the DJs total bill.
Transportation: Most transportation companies have a tip built into the bill, but if not go for the standard 15-20%.
Delivery Staff: Don’t forget about all the people dropping things off at your venue, like tables and chairs. Give them $5-$20 per person.
Coat Room/Restroom/Parking Attendants: For any attendants working your venue, offer up a loonie or toonie per guest or car. Guests will typically take care of these tips themselves.
Tipping Tips
Tipping isn’t mandatory or even expected with all wedding vendors, but it has become more common in all service areas. We recommend figuring out tips before the big day and having everything ready to go in individual, labeled envelopes. The newlyweds probably want to hurry off after the reception is done, so leave the tips to a trusted family member or friend to deal with at the end of the day.
Need a wedding photographer or videographer for your special day? Contact AGI Studio today! We have a team of experienced and award-winning photographers ready to capture your big day.
